The clinical parameters age (HR 1.16 per year, 95% CI 1.07–1.26, p < 0.001), diabetic polyneuropathy (HR 3.58, 95% CI 1.44–8.93, p = 0.006) and insulin therapy (HR 3.25, 95% CI 1.21–8.70, p = 0.019) predicted mortality in T2DM patients independently. Here, INS is linked to diabetic polyneuropathy.